UPDATE: As a result of this news, Marvel has shifted release dates for a number of titles. Adjust your calendar accordingly! THOR: RAGNAROK will now hit four months later than planned on November 3, 2017 (from July 28, 2017). BLACK PANTHER, which was previously slotted for Thor's date, will be delayed eight months, going to July 6, 2018. CAPTAIN MARVEL will move to November 2, 2018, leaving INHUMANS to move to July 12, 2019. The two-part AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR: PARTS 1 & 2 will keep their preset dates of May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019, respectively. - PS

UPDATE 2: It's being reported that Andrew Garfield is out and that the character will be recast. We'll follow up when we get the official word, but it's very much looking like we'll get a new guy in the red and blue tights. - PS

CONFIRMED: Andrew Garfield is NO LONGER Spider-Man. Someone new will be cast. First appearance in MCU, then solo film.

In news that should come as a surprise to no one, Sony and Marvel Studios have officially announced a partnership that will bring Spider-man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

What this likely means is that the tenure of Andrew Garfield as Spider-man has come to an end. There is still the possibility that Sony will continue where THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 left off and work with the developing fictional universe that Marc Webb and producer Avi Arad had been planning to spin into a SINISTER SIX standalone and VENOM spin-off, but to make Spider-man work within the existing Marvel Cinematic Universe would need too much retroactive continuity to make that work. It would make the most sense for them to reboot it one final time, especially since their statement calls it a "new creative direction".

Kevin Feige made the following statement.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie. Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

What MCU film Spider-man will appear in first is unknown, but with the new Spider-man standalone set to debut in two years, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is still a possibility. I expect we will find out more details in the coming days as this blockbuster news means a lot of Spider-man fans are very happy right now.

The new Spider-man debuts on July 28, 2017.

Here's the FULL Press Release:

(Culver City, California, and Burbank, California February 09, 2015) – Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced today that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

ldquo;We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.